Apparatus for launching rockets from turrets



Feb 11, 31949. B. WALKER APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING ROCKETS FROM TURRETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1922 Walker Brnpl Cs B. WALKER APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING ROCKETS FROM TURRETS Feb, 1, 1949.

Filed Nov. 12, 1942 Br I: lakes Vvull'itz'rv Patented Feb. 1, 1949 STATES APPARATUS roe NQHIQNG RooKEr's FROM runners (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883', as amended April 30, 1928;370 0. G. 757) 7' Claims.

The invention described herein may be manuiactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to method and apparatus for firing rockets for military purposes.

When used for military purposes rockets may be used to give signals, to illuminate terrain, or as combat weapons. They may be fired, or started in their flight, with the aid of straight rigid metallic tubes several feet long and open at each end, and usually called rocket tubes. The terms rocket tube in the appended claims have this meaning.

In firing a rocket from a rocket tube, the rocket is placed Within the tube and the propelling charge, which forms part of the rocket, is then ignited in any suitable way, for example from a suitable match or by electric means under control of the discharger or launcher of the rocket. This latter manner of igniting the propelling charge is preferred in the present invention. The gaseous products from the propelling charge are ejected from the rocket through a nozzle or constricted opening at the rear of the rocket and thereafter are discharged from one of the open ends of the tube. The rocket is discharged from the opposite open end of the tube. The end of the rocket tube from which the gaseous products from the propelling charge are discharged is called herein the breech or breech end of the tube, and the end from which the rocket is discharged, the muzzle or muzzle end.

Heretofore the practice has been to fire rockets from rocket tubes located in the open. In general, the object of the present invention is to provide method and apparatus for firing or launchin rockets from an enclosed space, for

example, from a compartment or turret of a combat tank, pi1l-box etc. The expression enclosed space, as used herein, is intended to mean a space defined by confining walls and which may or may not be wholly closed, so that the said expression includes the presence of openings or ports which are small or inconsequential as compared with the dimensions of the walls or of the space enclosed by them. Thus, in the case of compartments or turrets of combat tanks or of other combat units, mobile or fixed, the pros enoe of ports or openings for caution, rifles, ma-

2 chine guns, for vision, for aiming and for the muzzle end and breech end of rocket tubes, according to the present invention, are not excluded herein by said expression.

According to the present invention a rocket tube is positioned or mounted with respect to an enclosed space so that its muzzle end and breech end project outside of said space with the rocket tube passing through said space. The loading of the racket into the rocket tube, the aiming oi the rocket tube and the igniting of the propelling charge of the rocket tube are all done by a person or operator located within the enclosed space. As pointed out above the propelling charge of the rocket may be ignited by electric means con trolled by" the operator by the use of a suitable switch.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating several embodiments of the invention, andin which the same reference numeral indicates the same part,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a spherical turret on a tank showing a rocket tube therein according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken at right angles to the plane of Figure 1' on the line 2'--2.

Figure 31s a vertical section of a second embodiment of the invention applied to' a cylindrical turret on a tank or other mobile unit.

Figure 4 is an elevation of part of" the cylindrical turret of Figure 3 looking from the left of that figure. V

Figure 5- is a section onthe line 55 of Figure 3', looking in the direction of the arrows, but showing the rocket tube in plan.

Figure 6 is a vertical section of a spherical turret of a pill box showing another application of the invention.

Figure '7 is a section on the line 'l-'l of Figure 6'.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a spherical turret i of a combat tank is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis as Well as" a vertical one. This for example, may be accomplished by mounting the turret on a ring 2 which may be rotated and which carries two diametrically opposit'e trunnionsupports 3 for the trunnions 4 which are attached to the turret I. Roller bearings' 5' may be provided between the ring 2 and the part 6 of the tank that supports it.

The rocket tube 1 passes through the space en'- closed by the turret, the muzzle end of the rocket tube passing through the opening 8 in the turret wall and the breech end of the rocket tube passing through the opening 9 in the turret wall. A shield 25 is carried by the rocket tube before the opening 8. The openings 8 and 9 are large enough with respect to the outside diameter of the rocket tube to enable the rocket tube to be moved longitudinall to bring the breech end within the turret for inserting the rocket therein prior to firing or launching. After the rocket has been placed in position in the breech end of the rocket tube, the breech end is then passed through the opening 9 to place it outside of the turret, whereupon the rocket tube is aimed and fired by igniting its propelling charge. An opening ii may be placed in the turret wall for vision in aiming, or a suitable aiming periscopic device may be employed, instead of said opening. 1

Figures 3, 4 and illustrate another embodiment of the invention. A cylindrical turret 20 may be rotated about its horizontal axis by means. of friction drive wheels 2i driven in any suitable way from a source of power 22, sprocket and chain drive means being illustrated. The turret may be rotated about a vertical axis by a driving pinion 23 engaging with the gear 24 which is secured to the housing 25 which carries the friction drive wheels 21. In this instance, the muzzle end of the rocket tube 26 projects through an opening .2? in thewall of the turret and the breech end of the rocket tube projects through an opening 28 in a slide 29 which has the same curvature as the cylindrical portion of the turret and which is guided for circumferential sliding motion about the turret by two guides 35 which lap over the two longitudinal edges of the slide.

The slide 29 covers the slot 3! in the turret wall, this slot being of sufficient length to permit the desired elevation of the rocket tube to be selected. The fits between the rocket tube and the openings 2i, 28 and 3! are loose enough to permit the breech end of the rocket tube to be drawn within the turret for loading therein of the rocket. The rocket tube 26 is provided with two trunnions 32 which fit in the ears of brackets 33 carried on the turret 20 on opposite sides of the opening 27.

above and belowthe opening 28 is sufiicient to close the slot SI at any position to which the rocket tube may be elevated or depressed in a vertical plane. In loading the rocket tube 26, the trunnions are disengaged from the brackets 33, the rocket tube slid outwardly through the opening 27 to bring the breech end of the rocket tube within the turret, whereupon the rocket is inserted within the breech and the breech end again projected outside of the turret by passing it through slot 3! and opening 28. The trunnions 32 are then replaced in position in the ears of brackets 33. The rocket tube is thereafter aimed and fired from within the turret.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a spherical turret 4!! on a pill box. This turret is carried for rotation about a vertical axis on a ring 4! which is carried upon a supporting part 42 of the pill box. Roller bearings 43 are shown between the ring 4! and the support 52. The ring 4! may be rotated by a driving pinion 44 engaging a gear 45 on the ring 4!. The turret has a vertical slot 46 at its rear to permit the breech end of the rocket tube 47 to be raised or lowered in aiming. This slot is covered The rocket tube carries a shield 34 before the opening 21. The length of the slide 29 by means of a slide 48 which slides in guides 49 secured to the interior of the turret, and which at each of their lower ends are carried on a bracket 50. As shown, the slide 48 fits the curvature of the interior of the turret.

The rocket tube 4'! projects at its breech end through an opening 5! in the slide which registers with the slot 46 in the turret. The muzzle end of the rocket tube projects through an openin 52. Trunnions 53 on the rocket tube 41 fit removably in ears on'two brackets 54 secured to turret 40 on opposite sides of the opening 52. The openings 5i and 52, and slot 46 are of such dimensions as will enable the rocket tube to be freely depressed or elevated and to be moved longitudinally to bring the breech end of the rocket tube within the turret for loading. Slide 48 is of sufficient length above and below the opening 5| for the rocket 'tube to enable the slot 46 in the turret to be covered in all positions of the breech end of the rocket tube. A shield 55 may be placed on the rocket tube before the opening 52. The operations of loading, aiming and firing are the same as those of the apparatus shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 6, it will be understood that the rocket tubes 26 and 4'! pivot respectively on the trunnions 32 and 53 when they are elevated or depressed in aiming, and that the trunnions may be lifted from their supports in order to permit the rocket tubes to be moved longitudinally to bring the breech ends within the turret when loading.

In the appended claims, the terms horizontal and vertical are used to include not only exactly horizontal and vertical but also approximately or substantially horizontal and vertical.

I claim:

7 1. The combination with a turret which is rotatable about a vertical axis, of a rocket tube passing through the turret at two openings, supported at both of said openings and longitudinally moveable therethrough with its muzzle and breech projecting outside of the turret through said openings.

2. The combination with a turret which is rotatable about a horizontal as well as a vertical axis, of a rocket tube passing through the turret at two openings, supported at both of said openings and longitudinally moveable therethrough with its muzzle and breech ends projecting outside of the turret through said openings.

3. The combination with a turret of a rocket tube passing through the turret at two openings, supported at both of said openings and longitudinally moveable therethrough with its muzzle and breech ends projecting outside of the turret through said openings and mounted in said turret for elevating independently of the turret.

' 4. In combination, a turret having two openings in the Walls thereof, a rocket tube passing through said turret at two openings. supported at both of said openings and longitudinally moveable therethrough with the muzzle end of the rocket tube projecting out of said turret through one of said openings and the breech end of said rocket tube projecting out of said turret through the other of said openings, and means pivoting the rocket tube for motion about a horizontal aXis.

5. In combination, a turret having two openings in the walls thereof, 'a rocket tube passing through said turret by way of said openings, supported at both and longitudinally moveable therethrough with the muzzle end of the rocket tube projecting out of said turret through one of said openings and the breech end of said rocket tube projecting out of said turret through the other of said openings, and means demountably pivoting the rocket tube for motion about a horizontal axis.

6. In Combination, a turret having two openings one of which is a slot in which a rocket tube may freely move, a rocket tube passing through said turret and said openings, supported at said openings and longitudinally moveable therethrough, a plate covering said slot and having an opening through which the rocket tube may slide, and guide means for said plate, said plate sliding with reference to said guide means when the rocket tube is moved lengthwise of said slot.

'7. In combination with Walls enclosing a space, a rocket tube passing through said space through two openings in said Walls and supported at both of said openings, the muzzle and breech of said rocket tube being outside of said openings, said rocket tube being movable longitudinally through 20 said openings to permit said breech to be brought Within said space.

BROOKS WALKER.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,108,714 Davis Aug. 25, 1914 1,140,364 DeCou May 25, 1914 1,186,327 Moore June 6, 1916 1,373,381 Cooke Mar. 29, 1921 1,446,000 Davis Feb. 20, 1923 1,661,091 Riabouchinski Feb. 28, 1928 1,698,439 Knox Dec. 25, 1928 2,113,143 Sanders Apr. 5, 1938 2,200,283 Lennon -1 May 14, 1940 2,233,642 Sanders Mar. 4, 1941 2,233,918 Fey Mar. 4, 1941 2,258,939 Poche Oct. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 504,610 France Apr. 19, 1920 

